Improvement in bill-files



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

S. THOMPSON. Bill-File No. 200,675. Patented Feb. 26,1878.

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U IT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SMITH THOMPSON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN BILL-I-I'ILES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200.675, dated February 26, 1878; application filed December 1, 1877.

To all whom it may concern: l

Be it known that I, SMITH THoMPsoN, of

' a Washington, in the county of Washington and District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in File- Holders; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has for its primary and chief object to furnish afile-holder thatwill be proof against the heat and damages resulting from severe handling during, andfrom water thrown to quench, ordinary fires.

It has for its further objects facilityin handling and arranging on shelves, and protection against dampness and mold resulting therefrom, and against dust, mice, roaches, &c.

It consists in ametallic file-holdercomposed of an outer and an inner casing, so constructed that when placed together there will be an airspace surrounding the inner case; in the construction -of the inner case so that its ends, sides, and bottom will bewater-proof; in means wherebythe inner casing maybe locked within the outer casing, and in other improvements, all of which will be hereinafter fully explained.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of a file-holder and case. Fig. 2 is an endview ofthe outer case. (Shown in Fig.1.) Fig.3 is apartial horizontal crosssection on the line as w, Fig. 1, of the outer and inner casings, showing the manner of turning Figs. 4., 5,6, and 7 show other improvements.

A is the file-holder, composed of the outer casing a and the inner casing b, the latter sliding readily in or out of the former. The casings are made of any suitable metal by any well-known means.

The outer casing is formed so that its sides, -=top, and bottom'will beplain surfaces, so that it slides readily onto a shelf, and packs closely against others when desired. Its rear end a is set in slightly, for the purpose of providing flanges M, which form a suitable recess, in which is placed the button or thumb-piece, by

which the lock or eccentric 0a is turned. On the upper part of the rear end I provide a hook, at, by which the casing may be suspended on a suitable bar or rod affixed to the wall or other place. When the casing is thus suspended, a support is placed for the lower end to rest against and hold the casing in a horizontal position.

The flanges or protecting-edges cfiserve also as a protection to the corners of the file-holder when the latter is accidentally dropped, orfrom necessity, as in case of fire, it is thrown out of the building to the ground.

The eccentric or bolt a is journaled in the end a and so arranged that it will turn over the upper edge of the inner end of the inner casing 12, and lock the latter, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4.

The metal forming the sides of the outer casing is turned in or otherwise suitably formed so as to provide a raised and continuous projection, of, surrounding the open end, and thus reducing the size of the mouth or opening in which the inner casing or file-holder b is to be slipped. The inward-projecting flange a is made of a width or thickness equal to the width of the desired air-space which surrounds the inner casing, and it forms the outer end or wall which closes in the said air chamber or space. When thin sheet metal is employed in the manufacture of this file-holder the edges are turned around a wire, a which gives strength and firmness to the metal. In the upper side of the casing a, and near the open end, there is formed a slot, at, Fig. 7, for the reception of a hook formed on the inner under end of the file-holder b. The inner casing or fileholder b is made with plain or straight sides, and so that it will fit snugly within the surrounding flange a in the open end of the easing a, and when it is inserted in the casing a there willbe anairchamberor space, f, of a depth or width equal to the thickness of the flange a surrounding it on top, bottom, and sides, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3. The width of airspace is determined by the size of the flange a and may be made of any desired depth.

The casing b is a tight box, being closed in water-tight on all sides, except that it has a sufficient portion of its top and inner end cut away to permit easy access to the files, which This construction gives strength and provides guides b, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3, for holding a tablet. When inserted in the easing a the guides b will be flush with the outer edge of the flange a When the two casings are locked together, as hereinafter described, the flanges a and b will be together, and will make a very strong rim, which will protect the set-in end b and the corners of the combined box from injury when dropped or otherwise subjected to severe handling. The top of the holder 1) has its inner end cut away, leaving the portion b (nearly or quite one-half of the top) remaining and united to the outer end b and the upper part of the inner end is cut away, leaving the under part b (about onethird or one-half, as may be desired) united to the bottom b In a file-holder, 1), formed as described, all that portion below the horizontal line 3 y and all that portion in front of the vertical line z 2 will be perfectly proof against the ingress of water, so that in case of fire any water that, by reason of its force from the hose, would be driven into the outer casing a, would be caught and carried to the bottom of said casing within the chamber f before it could reach the files in casing b, and from which it would run out before a sufiicient quantity could be forced in to dam up and run over the end I). Hence it will be seen that this casing is a perfect protection against damage by water in times of fires.

The sides of the inner case may be left full size, as shown in Fig. 6, or may, if desired, be cut away, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. To the top plate may be hinged a plate, I), which will serve as a support for the files when turned down into the casing, as indicated in dotted lines, Fig. 6, and also serve to keep dust from settling on the upper files. 0 indicates projections or guides formed on the bottom, near the inner end, of the casing b. They facilitate the sliding of and hold the casing in a horizontal position, so as to provide the necessary airspace below, and also hold the front end in line with the front end of the casing a.

d is an aligning-lug of any suitable width or length, hinged to the lower cross part of the guides 1), around the outer end of the casing 11. It may be turned up against the end of the case, as in Fig. 4, or down, as in Fig. 1. By it the case b is drawn out of the case a; but its most important use is in preserving orderly arrangement of the file holders on shelves.

In placing ordinary file-holders on shelves great care is necessary to preserve the outer ends in order and in true line. In my device the lug is turned down, as shown in Fig. 1, and held in this position by the hand. The file-holder is pushed back till the lug comes in contact with and is pressed firmly against the straight edge of the shelf, which movement brings the outer end in the exact line with the outer ends of all the other holders on the shelf.

0 is a hook formed on the inner end of the bottom of the casing b, and is adapted to enter the slot a, and hold the inner casing suspended to the outer casing, as shown in Fig. 5.

When it is not desired to remove the fileholder to a table or desk, but ready access is V desired to the files, the inner casing can be taken out and suspended, as shown. When constructed with a hook, e, the projections a may be dispensed with, for the hook will support the casing b in proper position.

With this file-holder, in case of fire, the airspace surrounding the inner casing will preserve the papers from any ordinary heat. If water be thrown onto the file-holders, and by its force be driven into the outer casing, it will drop to the bottom before it can reach the files. It is impossible, by ,a stream from a hose, to force water enough into the casing to to rise above the inner end I), for the water would leak out at the lower front corner before it could accumulate in suifici'ent quantityto rise and flow over into the inner casin g.

When the inner casing is locked in position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the file-holder may, if necessity require, be thrown from the windows of buildings to the ground, and the files would be preserved intact. Any indentations which the outer casing would receive by the fall would tend to bind the inner casing more securely in its place.

There are numerous advantages belonging to my improved holder, which will be apparent to any one having use for such devices.

My invention does not contemplate combining a number of the outer casings a into a form or rack like a case of pigeon-holes. The peculiar manner in which the casings a are made will prevent their being thus united. Each outer casing, with its inner casing, cornposes a distinct and independent file-holder, designed specially for the protection of the files against water, heat, and severe handling, as hereinbefore explained.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The metallic file-holder A, composed of the outer casin g a and the water-tight box or inner casin g I), having a part of the inner end of its top plate and a part of the upper end of its inner end plate cut away, and arranged to be laterally removable from the outer casing a, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. The single metallic case a, constructed with the inner projecting rim or flange a, surrounding its open end, in combination with the inner casin g b, having guides or projections on its bottom for supporting it in a horizontal position, and clear of the bottom of the outer case, for the purpose of providing an air the casing 11, having its inner end partially closed, of an eccentric or 1ock,a journaled in the closed end of the outer casing, arranged and adapted for the purposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signature in presence oftwo Witnesses.

SMITH THOMPSON. Witnesses W. J. OSGOOD, P. B. TURPIN. 

